Troll Doll

By Allie TownsendWednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

Rod Sanford / Lansing State Journal / AP

Invented in 1959 by a Danish woodworker, troll dolls became a North American toy craze in the early '60s and again in the '90s. Thomas Dam carved his first troll doll as a gift for his daughter; he then began selling the dolls locally after his daughter's friends started asking for them. They were originally called Dam Dolls and were made of wood, with woolen hair and glass eyes. Imitations made of plastic were released in North America and became popular. Dam fought this in court  to no avail until 2003, when the U.S. restored copyright privileges to the Dam family.